Entrepreneur services

Build Your Business. Build Your Future.

CareerSource Suncoast supports aspiring, new, and growing entrepreneurs with free training, practical tools, and expert one-on-one guidance. With our entrepreneur services you can validate your idea, build a real plan, and take action with confidence.

Free 10-week online course

CEO Platform for Success

Build a complete business plan with live online instruction, tools, and 1:1 support.

Upcoming class Registration open

Next class starts January 2027

  • Cohort A Starts 10:00–11:30 a.m.
  • Cohort B Starts 6:00–7:30 p.m.

Free, instructor-led, includes 1:1 support.

Current class Already started

Current class has started (August 2026)

  • Cohort A Started Meets every Tuesday · 10:00–11:30 a.m.
  • Cohort B Started Meets every Wednesday · 6:00–7:30 p.m.
  • Classes in English only; online coursework available in English or Spanish
  • Fully interactive, live, online classroom experiences via Microsoft Teams
  • 10-week course
  • Free instruction, 1:1 development & online course materials
  • About 3 hours per week
Full course details

Summary: A 10-week comprehensive entrepreneurial training and development course designed for aspiring and early-stage entrepreneurs to develop and refine a business concept through every step of the business planning process. Uses the Kauffman Foundation’s FastTrac tools.

What You’ll Do

  • Develop and refine your business concept through each step of the business planning process
  • Plan and analyze your entrepreneurial vision through readings, research, and discussion
  • Create a thoroughly researched and tested business plan

Time & Effort

  • Successful students spend about 3 hours per week on average toward course completion

Learning Experience & Support

  • Instruction, 1:1 development, and online course materials are provided at no charge
  • Curriculum delivery includes online coursework, workshops, seminars, weekly drop-in studio sessions, and one-on-one consultations
  • Facilitated through instructor-led programming, self-guided coursework, and tutorials by subject matter experts
  • Includes the benefits of entrepreneurial member networking

Questions about the CEO course? Patrick Smith psmith@careersourcesc.com (941) 346-1591

2027 schedule

Pathways to Success Workshops

Nine individual workshops on Thursdays from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. ET, January through September 2027. Each workshop has its own registration.

  • Every workshop runs 12:00–1:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET).
  • Registration stays open until each workshop ends. Past workshops are grayed out automatically.
  • Click or tap a workshop to register. Register separately for each one you plan to attend.

January – June 2027

  1. Session 01

    Traits, Skills and aptitudes of the Entrepreneur.

    12:00–1:00 p.m. ET

  2. Session 02

    Fully Developed product/services make business sense.

    12:00–1:00 p.m. ET

  3. Session 03

    Pricing strategy for success.

    12:00–1:00 p.m. ET

  4. Session 04

    Business branding proceeds you.

    12:00–1:00 p.m. ET

  5. Session 05

    Business trends 2027

    12:00–1:00 p.m. ET

  6. Session 06

    Automation of your Business

    12:00–1:00 p.m. ET

3-part Marketing strategy

July – September 2027

  1. Session 07

    # 1 Essential Marketing components

    12:00–1:00 p.m. ET

  2. Session 08

    # 2 Defining your target customer

    12:00–1:00 p.m. ET

  3. Session 09

    # 3 Leveraging the customer journey

    12:00–1:00 p.m. ET

Support for entrepreneurs

How CareerSource Suncoast Supports Entrepreneurs

CareerSource Suncoast provides business development resources for new and second-stage businesses, and for those planning an exit strategy. We are a member-based small business accelerator supporting the regional entrepreneurial community.

  • Free classes, workshops, conferences, memberships, and networking events
  • Drop-in co-work center with tech-centric tools and an environment built for problem-solving
  • 1-on-1 coaching for entrepreneurial class members (confidential, by-appointment, tailored recommendations)

Training That’s Practical and Action-Oriented

Our entrepreneurship training is designed to be progressive, grounded in today’s economic realities, and focused on pragmatic solutions. Learning happens through online coursework, workshops, seminars, weekly drop-in studio sessions, and one-on-one consultations—supported by instructor-led programming, self-guided work, and subject matter expert tutorials.

  • Develop and refine your business concept through a structured planning process
  • Produce a thoroughly researched and tested business plan (for the CEO course track)
  • All services are provided at no cost!

What You’ll Experience

Hands-on, instructor-led and self-guided training backed by subject matter experts, weekly studio sessions, and confidential 1:1 coaching—so you can move from idea to validated business plan.

  • Action-oriented lessons tied to real business milestones
  • Hybrid delivery: live online, self-paced coursework, and workshops
  • Entrepreneur community with peer support and networking

Who It’s For

  • Aspiring entrepreneurs preparing to launch
  • Early-stage business owners tightening marketing fundamentals
  • Growing businesses looking to modernize systems and messaging

Partners

Powered by Partnership

CareerSource Suncoast is an affiliate of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and works with SBDC, SCORE, Newtown Community Redevelopment Agency and the City of Sarasota.

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